Premature ejaculation is a sexual dysfunction that has been variously estimated to effect up to 75 percent of the population (Kinsey et al., 1949, p. 580; Masters and Johnson 1967, 1971 and 1973). Regardless of the figures in the literature and the definition of premature ejaculation, this problem has remained substantially unchanged in the past twenty years regardless of the psychological, biochemical, pharmacological and clinical psychiatric literature. The term "premature ejaculation" includes congenital premature ejaculation as well as primary premature ejaculation where the male ejaculates extremely rapidly, e.g., prior to penetration with coitus or within ten to twenty strokes after intromission, so as to adversely affect the sexual relationship between the involved partners. The psychoanalytical definition of ejaculation, in less than one minute, also suffices for these purposes as well as the Masters and Johnson definition where the male ejaculates 50 percent of the time more rapidly than the female is able to have an orgasm if she has no orgasmic dysfunction of her own. Premature ejaculation by any of the foregoing definitions can be treated by the method of the invention.
Premature ejaculation is a considerable factor in sexual as well as marital discord. It is estimated that this factor is present in at least about 20 percent of clinical cases. However, heretofore an effective, relatively inexpensive treatment that can be administered by any practicing physician without specialized knowledge has not been available.
The use of fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac.RTM.) is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,448 to Crenshaw and Wiesner. It has now been found, however, that similar treatment at a relatively lower dose of active ingredient can be achieved by practicing the present invention.